Guide for punching-presses.



No. 70I,544. Patented June 3, I902.

T. & J. B. CUNLEY.

GUIDE FOR PUNCHING PRESSES.

(Application filed Aug. 30, 1901.)

(No Model.)

WITNESS .5 VENTORS Wimp A4,,

Attorne UNITED STATES FFICEm PATENT GUIDE FOR PUNCHlNG PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 701,544, dated June 3, 1902.

Application filed lltighst 30, 1901. gcrial No. 73,861. No model.) l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS CONLEY and JOHN R. CONLEY,citizens of the United States, residing at Pittsburg; in tlie county of Alle gheny and State'of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guides for Punching-Presses; and We do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to punchingpresses of that class known as power punching-presses, and has for its object the provision of means whereby a duplicate number of articles may be speedily and accurately punched with but little, if any, danger of false punching and without the aid of skilled labor.

This invention consists in the provision of an attachment or adjunct for punchingpresses and consisting of an adjustable guide or stop which can be set to guide and hold the metal to be operated upon by the punch so that it will be punched at exact predetermined intervals either the same or different distances apart.

This invention further consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts more fully described hereinafter and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the present and usual method of punching metal where a number of duplicate pieces are to be punched either a scale on the bed or anvil of the punch is utilized to regulate the distance apart of the punches or else the work is laid out by the use of a wooden pattern which has been previously bored with the requisite number of holes in the desired position and having been clamped to the metal. The places for punching are marked by indenting the metal at each hole with a center punch. Both of these methods are slow, inaccurate, and expensive, for the reason that the position of the metal under the.

punch must be regulated solely by the eye of a skilled mechanic, and even by the use of the utmost care exercised by the most skilful mechanic few, if any, of the punched pieces will be exact duplicates, thus requirand well-known construction.

ing more or less hand-finishing after they leave the punch before they can be used.

It is well known that in such work as bridge-building, structural iron work for buildings, &c., it is desirable and necessary to produce a large number of pieces so accurately punched in duplicate as to be fitted together by rivets, bolts, &c., without any further work than what is done by the punch, and it is also Well known that under the old method of punching this exact duplication is an impossibility.

By the use of our improvements it is not alone possible to punchany number of pieces that are exact duplicates, but it is impossible Without readjusting the guides to .make a variation of even the fraction of an inch in the location of the punches. l

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a portion of this specification, Figure l is aside view of an ordinary powerpunch with our improvement in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a top View, and Fig. 3 is an end View, of the same. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views.

A represents a power-pu nch of the ordinary B represents a table placed alongside of and slightly below the level of the anvil of the press and supporting the rails or. tracks C C, upon which the car D travels. The body of the car is on about a level with the bed or anvil of the press and isprovided with mechanismas, for instance, the toggle arms or jaws E-for grasping and holding the work in position under the punch. The ca-rD is moved backward and forward on the rails by a boy or helper, who pushes against the projecting beam D, which extends sufficiently to one side of the track so as to permit the boy to walk along the side of the track and manipulate the car.

Parallel with the tracks C G and slightly above them is attached a guide-rail or support F, which is preferably made of angleiron of theshape shown in the drawings and is attached usually to the rails by riveting its lower side to the side or top of the rail. This guide-"rail F is designed and adapted to support the removable stops G, which consist 5 each of a single casting having the opening g of a size to accommodate the rail G and the screw h, whereby they may be firmly held in position on the guide-rail G at any desired point.

The car D has mounted upon it, preferably under the body and between the wheels, in suitable bearings the reciprocating rod or shaft I, a coiled spring 2' being situated between a pin on the rod and one of the bearings, so as to force one end of the rod outside of the side of the car and to cause the extended and projecting rod to come into contact with the stops on the guide-rail, a pivoted handlej being provided to force the rod in the opposite direction when it is desirable to allow the car to be moved.

The operation of the device is as follows: If, for instance, a number of pieces, say, twenty feet long are to be punched at regular intervals of twelve inches apart, nineteen of the stops G are placed on the guide-rail and secured by means of their fasteningscrews exactlyv twelve inches apart. The metal to be punched is then placed under the punch and the first hole punched in its proper position. The end of the piece is then placed between the jaws and the jaws closed by means of the handleE. The car is now pushed forward by the helper until the projecting end of the rod comes into contact with the first block. The metal is now in position underthe punch to have the second hole punched. The rod or shaft is now moved out of contact with the block by means of the pivoted lever and the car moved forward on its tracks till the endof the rod comes into contact with the next block, the alternate moving forward and stopping and punching the rod being continued till the piece is finished.

In order to prevent sagging of extra long or heavy pieces of metal and at the same time facilitate their being moved by the carriage, weprovidea number of friction-rollers, which are situated about the middle of the tracks. These rollers K are supported in adjustable bearings, so as to permit of their use with metals of difierent sizes and shapes.

It will be seen that when the stops are properly placed and fastened on the guide-rail G any number of pieces can'be punched and all of them will be exact duplicates. It will also be seen that no skill is required to operate the mechanism and that a much larger number of pieces can be punched in the same time on the same machine than where the metal must be accurately adjusted at each manipulation of the punch.

WVe have described the stops as being placed the same distance apart on the guide-rail G; but it is obvious that they can be placed at different distances apart when it is desired to punch at irregular points.

While we have described our guide as attached toapunch, itis very obvious that itcan be utilized in other positions where duplication of work is required as, for instance, in drill-presses, &c. 7

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is- 1. The combination with a punch or drill press, of a carriage, a reciprocating rod mounted on said carriage, and a series of separately-adjustable stops adapted to contact with said rod and stop the carriage at predetermined points.

2. The combination with a punch or drill press and a carriage for conveying metal into position to be operated on, of separately-adjustable stops for stopping and retaining said carriage at predetermined points and means for causing the carriage to be engaged by and disengaged from said stops.

3. The combination with a punch or drill press, of a carriage, means for holding work in position on said carriage, a series of separately-adjustable stops, for stopping said carriage at predetermined points, and a manually-operable detent carried on the carriage and adapted to engage with said stops.

4. The combination with a press and a movable carriage, of a guide for stopping said carriage consisting of a rail or rod provided with adjustable stops and adapted to stop the movement of the carriage at predetermined intervals.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatu res in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS OONLEY. JOHN R. CONLEY. Witnesses:

MARY M. HEDDEN, A. A. OoNNoLLY. 

